The Story of Lady Zora
by samantha52114
Summary: Lady Zora is a princess of a distant land hidden beyond the ninja clans' borders. She is the host of the 'demon' Mageara, was locked away by her family until she was Sixteen, and sent to be a servant to the Kazekage. Warning: Naruto Shippuden SPOILERS


I awoke in my cell, "Damn," I though. "Just another shitty day."

It wasn't my fault I am the way I am, why did they have to lock me up. "Oh you're up Princess Zora." commented one of my Guards.

"Why yes sir. It is morning after all. Do you think I can come out of my cell today?" I politely ask

He seems shocked, gripping his teeth together and pulling his lip back. "Maybe. It's up to the gods." He says

I puff out air and roll my eyes, "It's because of those gods I'm in this place."

"No my dear! It's because of the demons that you must be locked up."

"Whatever." I hiss falling back on my bed

The prison door bursts open and the sound of many feet walking briskly echos in the cavernous room. Three people appear in front of me; a women, pale olive skin, long raven hair, and plump red lips. She dressed in a lavish white gown and a fox skin coat; my skin crawls

Two men; one with a long well tended beared and red hair pulled back into a tight bun. His garb was white shirt tucked into a spotless pair of black pants.

The last was a guard wearing a grey vest, dark blue long sleeved shirt, and a matching pair of pants.

"Oh wow, I wasn't expecting to see the two that imprisoned me. How goes it _Mother, Father._ " I hiss rising from my bed

"Zora don't you dare speak to us in such a way!" My mother cries out

"Oh I'm sorry," I say before kneeling. "Great King and Queen of the Shinrin Village. What brings you down to see me, as I am a lowly creature"

"The time has come for you to be of great use to us." My father speaks coldly with out meeting my gaze

"Oh yes, anything to serve my great king." I hiss

"Enough Zora!" My father yells "You must leave this village, travel to the Village Hidden In The Sand. There you will meet a man by the name of Gaara. He is the Kazekage of the village. It is your duty to serve him by any means necessary."

"To serve him? I'm going from being a prisoner to being a slave? Wow what a promotion!" I yell pulling

"You should be grateful!" My mother howls

"Grateful! Grateful! You have got to be kidding me! You've kept your child, you're flesh and blood, locked away in a prison cell for fifteen years only to tell her she should be grateful that she is now a slave!"

"Don't you dare make us the bad guys in this situation! It is not our fault you are cursed!" mother chokes on her words

I clench my jaw. "Fine. I'll leave. I'll leave this shitty village behind." My mother breathes a sigh of relief as my sentence is spoken

"Thank you!" My mother breathes

The guards unlock my door, shackle my hands, and wait for my parents signal. "You're doing a great thing Zora" mother says

"I know, so noble of me." I roll my eyes

Her and my father walk toward the door to leave, my mother looks back, breathes a sigh of relief and the both leave. "Alrighty guys! Take me away!" I order

The two guards shake their heads and then place their hands on my back, we're off.

It took almost a month to reach the Village Hidden in the Sand, and the journey was full of so much beauty. I had no idea the world was full of so much.. So much... Green! The trees reached for the heavens and the clouds danced in the sky! The most amazing thing was the sun though. I never imagined it to be so warm and yellow.

I learned so many things wondering around different villages, with a guard escort of course. The people were often so tan, they walked funny and spoke in such casual ways. I even got to buy books! Who knew so much was hidden from me! Things like ninjas!? I thought they were just wives tales Magaera would tell me to get to sleep. People were actually able to breathe fire and run up walls. I had no idea! This world my parents had hidden me from was so interesting! So full of life!

"You seem to be having fun on this adventure." Magaera chuckles

"You bet! I had no idea such things existed!" I say to her

"I always told you about them my child." she states

"Yeah, but I always thought you had just said those to entertain me."

"Well my dear, it would take a way more creative mind than mine to think up such things."

"I have a question."

"Yes child." Magaera purrs. She seems interested

"Why haven't I found anything about you in those books?"

"Ah. Well many books about my kind were destroyed after First Shinobi World War. My people use to be so highly regarded we had temples and shrines built for us, but when the war hit, it seemed that all had forgotten about their once beloved gods."

I look down at my hands, "Is that why my family thinks you're a demon? They just forgot you were a god?" I ask her

She is taken back by my question "Zora... You need not worry of you family any longer. They've let you go. Besides, I'll always be with you my child."

"Thank you Magaera."

The cart comes to a steady halt. "We're here Princess Zora." a guard states.

I half smile and look deeply at the bottom of the carriage. "This is it Princess. You are freed from our hands now." the other guard smiles at me. "It may not mean much now. But I have always admired your strength."

I look up to the guard and smile "I've watched over you for the past thirteen years and you have become a wonderful young lady despite how you've grown. I will never forget my little demon." he smiles

I can feel the tears in my eyes. I struggle to hold them back. "Thank you, but I don't even know your name." I say choking on my emotions

"It's Kazuki." He smiles holding the carriage door for me

I walk out and step on the corse sand. I look into Kazuki's eyes and smile. "You've made my hell bearable." I say

I look around me at the place I have been left. Sand, sand everywhere. It looked so much different than everywhere else I had been. A man looked at me with cold eyes, "You must be Princess Zora. My name is Baki. I am here to take you to Lord Kazekage." he said

I studied him. He had a cloth wrapped around his head and it hung covering his right eye. "He's got about a hundred pounds on you." Mageara whispered. "Go with him. There is no point in running. You won't make it far."

I bow my head and walk up to the strange man. He looks down at me "Aren't you going to bring your things?" He asks

My head falls "This is all I have" I say shrugging holding my small back pack

He grunts "So I hear you are cursed. What kind of curse is it?" he asks me as we walk

"When I was three a demon snuck into my room and sealed itself inside of me." I sigh lying to the poor man

"Demon? How dare you Zora!" Mageara yells

"Hush. I must humor these people" I whisper almost as if Baki could hear her

"I see." He says. "Lord Kazekage has a best sealed with in him as well. The rest of the council doesn't know about your demon, and I won't tell them. You might be able to relate to Lord Kazekage better since you've been where he has."

I look up to him. "There are others like me?" I ask rhetorically

We arrive to a large spherical building "This is the Kazekage's office. You have a room else where, but I must first introduce you to him." Baki says

I bow my head "Yes sir." I say quietly

I can't say I was happy that I was now a servant, but it was a relief to be out of that damned cage. Baki walked me into the building. We went up a series of stairs until we reached the correct floor. From there he walked me down a hallway, we reached a large red door, he opened it, and signaled me to walk into the room. It was a dull color with a few plants and a desk inside. At the desk sat a pale red haired male, about seventeen or so, beside him stood a tall twenty something girl, and as well as a male dressed in black with purple face paint. "Who is this Baki?" speaks the blonde girl

"This is Princess Zora." He states from behind me "She is your servant Gaara."

The red haired boy looks up at me, our eyes meet, a shiver runs up my spine "Run!" yells Mageara "He's a Jinjuriki!"

"Wait..." The blonde says "You got Gaara a slave? What kind of bullshit is this? That poor girl must be terrified!"

"Relax Temari. She was sent by her village as a peace offering." Baki says

"They offered her? Like a present? I swear." She walks up to me, places her hands on my shoulder "Don't worry we won't hurt you. You are free to leave. Lord Gaara doesn't need a servant."

"Well if he doesn't want her I'll take her!" The black clothed male say

Temari shoots a glare at him "Would you two stop." Gaara says calmly

"I don't mind being a servant." I quietly lie

Everyone looks at me, I can feel the weight of their stares pulling me down. Sweat beads begin to form on my face, I feel one slide down my cheek. Gaara beckons me to him, I quickly oblige bowing my head. "Your eyes are full of sadness and hatred." He says to me "I know those eyes. Tell me Princess Zora, why are your eyes full of these negative emotions?"

"I..." I look over at Baki fearful

"Eyes on me please." Gaara says

"I... I have a... I was..." I hesitate. "I was locked in a cell for fifteen years, by my parents because a demon sealed itself inside of my body." Mageara forced me to speak

"I see." Gaara says. "Stay here. We will take care of you."

I look at him tears building in my eyes. "But why?"

"Because you could use us."

"Thank you Lord Kazekage!" I bow my head

"Come with me Princess Zora." Gaara says rising from his seat

"Lord Gaara. You still have things to do." Temari says

"Later" He answers.

He hooks my arm and walks with me to the door. Sand builds up and pushes the door open. "How cool!" I think

"I will take you to my favorite place to sit." He smiles at me

Never in my life has someone looked at me like this young man just did. My heart is racing faster than any horse. _How could someone be so nice to me? I did nothing to deserve such treatment._

Gaara walks me to a door and once again the sand pushes it opens. The sun's light assaults my eyes for a few seconds before they adjust to the new venue. We are standing on a balcony now, looking over the city Gaara governs. "Just a few more steps" Gaara says quietly

I feel a disturbance in my balance, I look down only to see sand forming a platform under my feet and lifting me up along with Gaara. We hover higher in the air and glide to the very top of the round building. They sand sets us down and Gaara holds my hand and I lower myself to sit, he joins me. "This village once despised my very existence. Even my own father sent assassins to end my life. I too posses a demon of great power inside me. One that I was cursed to live with since my birth. It is a beast I struggled to control for many years, but now," He pauses. "Now I have learned the importance of controlling it."

I gaze into his pale blue eyes "My pain was great," He continues, "but it was with the help of a small boy that brought my wounds great healing. I feel that is what you need. I will heal your wounds, Princess"

My chest collapses under the profound emotional pressure I felt at this very moment. My head falls and my eyes filled with the sorrow of fifteen years of abuse and silence. "Never has someone showed such kindness to me." I whimper

I feel a warm hand on my face and a force pulling me to face it. Gaara's eyes were soft and kind as the searched mine. "A little kindness causes great change." he smiles

"Thank you Master Gaara." I throw my arms around his neck.

"There is no need to call me Master Gaara. Just Gaara will do." I hear him chuckle.

"I have no idea how to show my gratitude."

"You will in time."


End file.
